This was the first movie in ages where they did not focus on a romantic relationship but rather exploring relationships between friendship and family. Though, I do believe that the movie isn't suiting for very young viewers. As it might seem boring to them or rather the message conveyed isn't about them. Christopher Robin forgets about being happy due to his workaholic nature, this could really relate more to high school, college or working people. But, overall it's a great movie! It's great for laughs, reminiscing and a little tears
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kimiemegan22 August 2018
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ThomasDrufke22 August 2018Christopher Robin got next to zero marketing and had little buzz surrounding its release. It's almost as if Disney wanted to put their efforts elsewhere because they weren't sure on who to market the film to. Well, to their credit, that's exactly how the movie felt to me. A mixture of adult themes with characters acting to cater towards children is a difficult line to market to. Especially since it's almost impossible to define who the actual target audience would be, even after I've seen it. Even with that said, I really adored this film. Full of nostalgia from familiar voices to just the satisfying feeling of watching a old fashioned Disney story unfold in live action form. Winnie the Pooh is an all-time great character in the Disney lore and he is beyond perfect in this film, with Jim Cummings returning to do voiceover once again. Does it take a little bit to get going? Sure, but it finishes with dazzle. The magic of Christopher Robin and the Hundred Acre Wood is absolutely back.
7.8/10 -
TheLittleSongbird22 August 2018A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories captivated me as a child and they are still wonderful stories through young adult eyes. The stories epitomise childhood innocence, the atmosphere is enough to enchant everybody regardless of gender and age and the characters are some of the most charming in children's literature (Disney's treatment of them as some of their most famous ever creations is every bit as special).
Wanted to see 'Christopher Robin' from the very start, being as big a fan as all things Winnie the Pooh. Despite giving away too much of the film for my liking, the trailer did look good and the charm and childhood innocence did shine through even with the obvious melancholic tone that comes with growing up and forgetting. Ewan McGregor has big talent as an actor, the idea was such a great one and Winnie the Pooh is just such a great character that is impossible to dislike. Also wanted to see where abouts in the mixed to positive critical reception it would land in, though a few negative reviews, from reviewers usually trusted by me, put me off a little.
Am so glad about following my gut instinct and watching the film. 'Christopher Robin' has its faults, and is not as good as the 60s-70s short films, 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh', the series 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' and a few of the films that came after, but is really lovely in its own way with plenty for children and adults like.
'Christopher Robin' is not perfect as has been said. It does drag and loses its warmth and charm with the family and workplace scenes of the first half, which came over as over-sentimental and dreary, with few surprises having been done numerous times in the same way. A shame when the opening scene was so charming and sweet, and relatable for any child growing up. Anybody expecting a lot of depth shouldn't really, only Pooh and Christopher Robin, done beautifully on both counts, grow here really.
Mark Gatiss does overdo his weasel-like (or should we say woozle-like) character for my liking, an unsubtle stereotype and played with even less subtlety that it gets annoying. Would have liked more of some of the Hundred Acre Wood characters, half underused especially Owl and Kanga.
Had no problem with most of the voice work, but always did find Peter Capaldi to be an odd choice for Rabbit (under-characterised here) and still do, basically it's Doctor Who with a London-ish accent and it doesn't fit Rabbit.
However, the opening scene is full of the childhood innocence, warmth and charm one expects from Winnie the Pooh and those qualities do pick up once Pooh re-appears and even more so when the other Hundred Acre Wood characters are re-introduced. Much of 'Christopher Robin' is full of nostalgia and there are some lovely gently humorous touches, especially with Tigger and even more so Eeyore who has some of the best lines. There is a melancholy and wistfulness that is both appealing and moving, Pooh does bring tears to the eyes and his interplay, one of the film's biggest strengths, with Christopher is sweet and humorous.
Present also are nice glimpses of the original drawings and the nostalgia is created mainly by the numerous references to the stories and the previous Winnie the Pooh incarnations (the exchange between Christopher and Pooh concluding the opening scene, getting lost, Heffalumps and Woozles, the balloon, a couple of the songs from the 1960s-1970s short films to name a few). The Hundred Acre Wood characters are not far off from their original personalities, particularly Eeyore and Tigger, the only reservation being Rabbit and perhaps Piglet could have been a little more timid.
Throughout 'Christopher Robin' looks lovely, with handsome period detail, photography that is a mix of purposefully grim to idyllic and a beautifully rendered and quite faithful Hundred Acre Wood. The effects for Pooh and co. are delightful and looks great, maybe not quite how Disney portrayed them visually but not far off from the original drawings of the stories, of which the spirit is captured beautifully once in the Hundred Acre Wood, and their conditions of being forgotten for so long obvious in a realistic fashion. The eyes are not quite expressive, though not creepy, but the characterisations and how they interact and move are certainly expressive. The music is whimsical and melancholic, while the story falters with the family and workplace scenes early on but is charming, warm-hearted and poignant everywhere else. The script is thoughtful and affectionate and Marc Forster, perfect for the job and bringing the same qualities he did for 'Finding Neverland', directs sympathetically.
Ewan McGregor does a great job here, a hard role to balance quite a number of emotions and reacting against nothing for much of the film but it is a nuanced performance, stern and uptight at first but mellows into childlike wonder. Basically it is a great portrayal of forgetting fond memories and finding them again, learning things along the way, with a few nice life lessons, that allows the character to grow, apparent in the heart-warming ending. Hayley Atwell is a rootable presence and Bronte Carmichael is a star in the making. Making more of an impression is the voice acting. Brad Garrett is a standout as Eeyore, sadness at its funniest. Nick Mohammed doesn't quite match the giant shoes left by John Fiedler, having voiced Piglet from the very beginning until his death in 2005, but the sweetness and timidity is captured nicely. Best of all is Jim Cummings, he's been voicing Pooh and Tigger since the late 80s and the experience shows. He has not lost Tigger's humour and liveliness but it's as Pooh where he is particularly wonderful, having not moved me to tears this much until now.
Overall, very nicely done and definitely well worth watching once it gets going. 8/10 Bethany Cox -
nnotheis6 March 2019This movie is beautifully written and makes you truly realize what's important in life. I'm 32 and in a job that is sucking the life out of me currently. It's truly not fair for my son and my wife to have to deal with the stressed out, grump I've become. I've already been thinking about a career change to get back the "old me" and it sounds corny, but this movie was a sign to get back to the old me - the happier me. Money and a career is great, but family and friends are so much more important. We've got one shot at this life. Maybe it's time for me to look in the mirror!
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SnoopyStyle2 November 2018Christopher Robin leaves behind Hundred Acre Wood for boarding school. Life grows tough. As an adult, he (Ewan McGregor) marries Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and goes off to war. He returns to work in middle management in a luggage company. They have daughter Madeline. One day, Winnie the Pooh can't find his friends and decides to search for Christopher for help.
The best aspect of this is the comedy duo of Ewan McGregor and a teddy bear. Madeline and the gang is just as fun. I find myself loving Pooh more than ever. It is endearing and hilarious. The darker stuff may be too dark by comparison. Quite frankly, the movie should have followed Pooh instead of Christopher. There isn't anything in Christopher's life that is hard to quickly reveal during their reunion on the park benches. There is a similar movie in the Peter Pan franchise called Hook. The difference there is that Peter Pan became angry and bitter. In this movie, Christopher remains Christopher inside. He's still trying to be good although he's sadden by the weight of his life. I would cut out one scene where Christopher gets angry at Pooh. Otherwise, Ewan does a great job. About the ending, there is something unnecessary and too cute about solving his work problem with a wise Pooh saying. Finding Madeline is a good enough climax which could wrap up with a sentimental ending. This is funnier than I expected and would have been more appealing without some of the darker scenes. -
ludgateman-8762222 August 2018I'm a 53 y old married man, and I saw this film on Monday with my wife. I went back to see it AGAIN on Tuesday, I loved it so much. Also, I teared up so badly on the first viewing, I needed a second fix to catch the parts I missed! Beautifully filmed, this is a must see for any adult still in touch with their inner "Christopher Robin". The scenes of Ewan McGregor sitting with Pooh on a log overlooking Ashdown Forest will stay with me forever (and I need a hankie now, just thinking about it!)
10/10 is not enough! -
nnk-3999019 August 2018My childhood memories were back after watching the epic characters , it's a must watch movie for sure !
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ijacobs318 August 2018As a nearing 40 dad, who works endless hours to make ends meet and make sure my family has the best of everythijg I can give them, taking my daughter met to watch this movie, not only had me in tears by the end, it made me think hard about what / where I'm heading in life, and what I'm missing out on in family time
This movie was amazing! Fantastic CGI and a story line that not only tugs on the heart strings , it kicks you so hard in the feelings , that you actually wake up and think about what happened to you -
mblakey333 September 2018I would say Christopher Robin is set to touch the Adult's more then the children. If you grew up like me 80's and 90's Winnie The Pooh was a Saturday Disney must watch. This movie was a beautiful take on what happens when Christopher grows up and becomes an adult in the working world. The voices sound remarkably similar to the original which gave us old fans some great memories. A dark/sad start but a bright and happy end.
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sharad-seth12 August 2018I have been reading reviews on IMDB for many years now... but never ever was I tempted to write one - till now. And I created my IMDB login just for this. What an amazing movie this was. Deepest life lessons explained through a very simple yet profound, a very well-known yet new-found character in the shape of Winnie. Everyone acted very well, including the young Madeline. But Winnie the Pooh just steals the show. And rightfully so. Go watch it to remember your earlier self. Or your present self. Maybe both. "What day is it, Christopher Robin?", asks Pooh. "It's today", he replied. "Well it's my favourite day...", Pooh concludes.
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**WARNING: I get a little bit into what some of the characters do and don't do, even though I don't really get much into the overall story.**
Disney's Christopher Robin serves as a companion piece to Goodbye Christopher Robin in that they play different parts of CR's life. Goodbye Christopher Robin takes place during his childhood and has small parts of him growing to a young adult by the end, and Disney's Christopher Robin spends the first ten minutes advancing through his raising years rather quickly so we can get to his adulthood. Outside of the source material, the comparisons of the two films stop there. Disney's Christopher Robin is much more family-oriented fiction, whereas Goodbye Christopher Robin is slightly more adult-themed nonfiction. I'll say that at my age, as much as I loved both films at their cores, I did prefer one over the other.
Now, let's address "the Heffalump in the room" here: This film will receive nearly unanimous praise and everyone who reads this will adore by what they just saw on screen by the time the last page reads "THE END." You will see the 9's and 10's pour aplenty on here, and they will be absolutely justified to the point that I won't disagree with a single thing that they say, truly. I am no different, as while watching this I tapped into early childhood memories of me watching the Winnie the Pooh cartoon. All of the feels were there and they were strong. Parents and children had a joyous experience with the entire film, and my face may even hurt from smiling too much. I will mostly let every other review speak on that, though. I want to try and touch on the moments that others may have trouble expressing or just won't bother to, and explain away how my score (for better or worse) is emphasized by other elements of the film that may or may not have personally worked for me as well.
When I say the words "mixed bag" I'm not referring to the quality of what was on screen, just how my head coped with what was on screen. Every issue I have with the film is mostly not a film issue at all, but rather it is my conflicted mind wondering what kind of film I expected to watch. Having just come off of Goodbye Christopher Robin not one year ago, I was trying to decide whether I was watching yet another biopic of sorts here, or if this was just a fictional fantasy adventure. When it initially seemed like it wanted to be the former, eventually it revealed that it was going to be the latter, and boy they went the whole nine yards with that. Upon first glimpse CR is just letting his imagination run wild with him, but alas it turned out that these stuffed animals are not inanimate, but actually alive and talking. Yes, beneath the surface one can decide to create allegories for the animals' lively spirits representing something larger than they actually were, but in the last half hour of the film it feels like a very shallow version of: "Nope, they're real... accept it and move on." The tone shifted sort of fast without warning into something a bit childish, and not in the absolute best way. It kind of hit a wall with me, because initially they were going so well with what just felt like the imagination route, and I feel I would have preferred that much more. Then again, when I was a child I think I saw the animals more as actual animals and not stuffed objects in CR's imagination, so if I'm a kid watching this film I don't think this is a demerit in any way at all. Sadly, I'm now a thirty-year-old man critiquing a lovable children's film to the bitter end, possibly undeservedly so.
Which leads me to my next personal predicament: I didn't know which lens I was supposed to view this film from. I hate to make the immediate comparison, but Goodbye Christopher Robin strictly stuck to one tone and allowed me to find perspective as an audience member for where I belonged watching it. This film begins with a young CR and the playful animals expressing their personalities to the fullest, so I began watching it as the cartoon and all was fitting. Then a bit of time goes by without the animals to set up CR's current status in the workplace, with his family, and even with a neighbor (whose tiny intermittent "subplot" feels strangely incomplete, unless there was an after-credits scene). During this early stage I figuratively heard children shuffling in their seats, and I literally heard a young girl ask: "Where's Pooh Bear?" Given the expectation the trailers appeared to provide (which I avoided before seeing the film), you'd understand why the youthful ADHD crowd can get a bit restless with the slow pacing of these moments.
Then later Pooh appears and all is righted again, but I sit and wonder where kids are with this bear and his furry friends, because I legitimately do not know. Do they know him in name only but have not read the books or watched the old cartoons? Are they familiar with the animals' voices, quotable lines and unique mannerisms? It's not exactly an ongoing marketed icon anymore, and they might be too busy in front of their Smartphones anyway to know why we who grew up with them find every moment so wondrous. So again, here is where I'm completely out of the know: if children are not as well-versed with the characters at large, I wonder if they'll get as much out of this film as I would if I was there age, or as I did now. Don't be too alarmed, though! There are still plenty of moments to make this movie enjoyable for all ages, whether or not you are privy to all that which is Winnie the Pooh.
Oh yes, Pooh Bear: he was perfection. It's clear that the screenwriters know him very well as to make sure that every piece of dialogue that he says has this poetry about it, accompanied justly with Jim Cummings' original voice work. Every third line that he says will give you a chuckle, whether he is wittily responding to CR or talking to himself. We get a "Think think think" and more than enough honey references (which you can never have enough of). His humor is very deadpan and it works best when you see his innocent beady eyes conveying those words with that little mouth. I'll admit that I miss the cartoon design, but they took enough creative liberties to blend the real stuffed animal with the cartoon version and you get the best of both versions. He is both dependent and dependable, both nescient and thought-provoking, both wanting to make you laugh and cry. I cried exactly two times in this film, and both had to do with a Pooh spoken line or spoken action. They needed to capture this for the film to work, and they did it ever so well.
Eeyore and Tigger were also both real hits and exact representations of their cartoon selves. I would say that Eeyore will win over more with the adults when it comes to his dark and depressing lines (again, this is also one of those times where "if you understand the characters already it works much better"). Tigger gets to bounce, sing and laugh, all with original J.C. voice work and that really means something to me. The misses to me came with Piglet and Rabbit, which although it's unfortunate that their original voice actors have passed away they did not do enough to get close to those voices either. Rabbit always reminded me of a Squidward in the cartoon (I know that SpongeBob came afterward), but had no such notions here... just a couple of "I'm healthy and like things clean" kinds of lines. He also wasn't heavily featured, alongside Owl, Kanga and Roo. Piglet was mostly fine, but was missing the voice, never let out an "Ooooh, d-d-d-d-dear," and never really let his fearfulness become an affecting part of the story. Good thing Pooh made up for most of it, and honestly I could have completely done without the other characters and would have been just fine... yet at the same time Tigger and Eeyore's direct inclusions were too good to pass up.
Ewan McGregor was convincing and looked like he had a great time with the role. Hayley Atwell kind of got to sleepwalk through her mother/wife role as she didn't have much to do, the daughter was good but was in the wrong film for focus on her end (even though they try and maintain that theme throughout, it's not explored very fully), and literally every other character was over-the-top and may have fit with this film but were also outlandish and exaggerated to the point that I really didn't care. As I was saying before, keep this as CR and Pooh having adventures and I would be none the wiser as to the rest of it.
I hope that you can take my review as just very level-headed. There were just a few too many things I found to either be inconsistent, or at the very least made me perceive it as such. That might be more a fault of mine than a fault of the film's, but that's why I get my own vote on here and others will get theirs. My last minor quip was slightly mentioned before, but the overall pacing was pretty slow. I was okay with that, but I am trying to speak for the masses. I think Goodbye Christopher Robin was a film that was lighter on its feet regarding the pace, but it also is a little less kid-friendly since its focus is not on the animals (and never gives life to them, imaginable or otherwise).
Despite the things I've pointed out, I think you can chalk them up as personal issues only, and I can't recommend this film enough. I mean it's Winnie the Pooh, for heaven's sake... of course it will be lovable! My audience applauded at the end, and I did right alongside them. It has something for everybody, and plenty of it. It almost seems sinful to dismiss this film in any sort of way, and don't let my score be an indication of how much I actually did love moments of this film and urge everyone to go check out and see, specifically if you have children, a connection with the characters, or simply if you have a soul. Yet if you missed out on Goodbye Christopher Robin, I also recommend that you see it at some point for something that is probably less fictionalized and slightly more adult-oriented. -
jhechotek5 August 2018I am a 56-yr old married white male and I went to see this film with my wife on a Saturday afternoon. I was blown away by the acting, the CGI, the storyline as well as the "life-lessons". The cinematography is superb with sweeping panoramas (vistas), gorgeous colors combined with stunning CGI.
Ewan McGregor gives an exceptional & very believable performance, and the newcomer Bronte Carmichael as Christopher Robin's daughter-Madeline.
This film is very family friendly: no violence, no profanity, no sex.
I can recommend this film to any/all fans of A.A. Milne's stories -
ericdraven103020 August 2018Premise: I didn't grow up reading or watching Winnie the Pooh, so I'm probably not the audience the film-maker had in mind while making this movie, on the other hand I was able to watch it without nostalgia-tinted glasses. The opening credits scene of Christopher Robin is a masterclass in visual storytelling: the main protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood unfolds itself before our eyes like chapters from a children's book. Pooh and his friends are entertaining, and sometime their childlike thoughts contain more wisdom than what it seems at first glance. From the first trailer the film looked to me like a British version of the Spielberg movie Hook, a movie I grow up with and that it's very close to my heart, no critic is ever gonna convince me it's not a masterpiece, and unfortunately for the Disney film I kept comparing it to it. The Hundread Acres Wood doesn't look a bit as magical or as lively as Neverland, it doesn't look like a place I would like to escape to or have fun in it. And then there's the major conflict of the movie (SPOILERS ahead): in both Hook and Cristopher Robin the protagonist has to choose between his family and his job, but in Hook Peter Banning's job was represented as a shady M&A deal ("So, Peter, you've become a pirate" says Wendy) and in our hearts and mind there was no doubt that Peter has to choose his family. On the other hand Cristopher Robin's job consists in saving the job of his co-workers from an executive who would like to cut their positions to keep costs down, so when Pooh invites him to play and look for his friends the audience might think in the back of their head that he would be better get to work instead. Final resolution too convenient and capitalistic-consumerism friendly, not something I would like to see in a children's movie.
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cricketbat31 December 2018Christopher Robin movie gives you glimpses of magic, but it's too dull for kids, and too simple for adults. It's like 1991's Hook, but without the fun. This artful cinematography and beautiful soundtrack don't seem to match the film to which they're attached. Even though it's amusing to see these animated characters as CGI and they got the voices right, this movie mostly just made me sleepy.
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Agent1020 September 2020Full disclosure, I pretty much grew up with the old Disney. This new, loud, overtly obnoxious version the company is trying to pass off as "Disney" just does not fly with me. I have to figure the end of Disney for me was probably Lilo and Stitch, and since then it became so called hidden references and manifest destiny on all modern artistic franchises. So where does this put Christopher Robin?
Let's not lie, this movie is hella sappy. But then again, Winnie the Pooh was as saccharine as a jar of honey and that is what made it so likable. Plus it had a great soundtrack and I have been humming the Winnie the Pooh chorus in the days since watching it. I had low expectations for this movie but I do enjoy Ewan McGregor and have pined to see Pooh reimagined in the real world. And from the first scene where the gang says goodbye to Christopher Robin, this thing is a constant emotional gut punch.
Jim Cummings, who has been the voice of Pooh for decades, puts so much sadness and sincerity into the voice that you cannot get a little misty about what is happening. Christopher Robin has turned into a joyless, war and corporate hardened adult who is almost abusive with his passive indifference. So to see Robin yell at Pooh and then hear Pooh's words, it just left me in tears. Like the movie Hachi made me sad and remember all the dogs I have lost in my life, hearing Pooh made me remember how much having to be an adult REALLY sucks.
Christopher Robin will have a hard time meshing with the current pantheon of overproduced Marvel and Star Wars properties, but if you like seeing the old Disney stuff and still know the lyrics to Ducktales, this might be the film for you. Bring a Kleenex box....trust me. -
ellieonlife25 August 2018Wonderful movie with gorgeous cinematography perfect for children and adults alike. Sweet as honey and will tug at your heartstrings in an unexpected way. You may shed a tear or 2
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PierreSmithDigital11 August 2018I hated what they did to Beauty and the Beast but Christopher Robin was so well executed, well done. So good. Wonderful, amazing, first movie in ages I want to watch again. Absolutely lived up to what I believe Disney should be. Thank you for making it so amazing.
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MekkaMax12 August 2018If you love Winnie the Pooh or grew up watching it, chances are you will like this film. It brings back the characters that you love from the hundred acre woods as well as Christopher Robin. The voice acting is amazing with veteran Jim Cummings on board voicing Pooh and Tigger. Ewan McGregor does a good job as Christopher Robin and carries the story along well enough. Seeing Pooh and the gang onscreen is magical and really sent me back to my childhood. However, this movie's biggest flaw is the pacing. The story takes a while to get started because it shows that Christopher's life is miserable and depressing since he's always focused on work. By the time it picks up, it's too little too late. The movie could have also used a little bit more humor to go against the dark and gloomy setting. Overall, this is a good movie with great Winnie the Pooh moments and a good performance from McGregor.
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harry-hartstone24 February 2019I dont cry in many movies but this was the 2nd movie ive cried in since i was about 7. Id just like to put that out there
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I had been looking forward to watching "Christopher Robin" since its release last year. I heard that it was different, and not exactly a happy or gloomy film, but something thought-provoking. Indeed it was thought-provoking, and if you are in need of a message about putting family before work, or a sensible amount of play before heedless ambition, then this is a film I can recommend.
However, still, I thought "Christopher Robin" was a bit formulaic. Somehow many of the lines, especially the ones meant to be inspirational, just didn't work in the context of who was saying it (such as Pooh giving koan-like advice "Keep North, Christopher Robin") or who was meant to receive it (somehow Christopher Robin, who has ignored his wife and daughter for years, is convinced by Winnie the Pooh in a single weekend because. . .?). I just didn't buy the transformation of the character entirely. It seemed like Winne the Pooh was stretched into a character he wasn't really in order to fix the mechanics of the story, especially towards the end.
In aesthetics, "Christopher Robin" seems to have a hint of the traumatic about it. It was odd to think that Hundred Acre Wood was a place where strange creatures could be caught in a large ditch and drown, and perhaps die. Ewan McGreoger is caught in such a ditch and the rain lifts him up rather than drowns him, but still, there's a kind of verisimilitude about Hundred Acre Woods that is dangerous rather than the kind of safe haven we all know it to be. Hundred Acre Woods is not shown as CGI or very much cartoonish, so what was cute has the potential to be bizarre. . .
I'm not in a hurry to watch it again, but I guess it was ok. -
eefseaff3 August 2018I'm usually in accord with critic reviews, but I honestly do not understand the low ratings this movie is getting. Christopher Robin (2018) is gorgeously filmed, beautifully acted, and emotional without being overtly sappy. In my opinion, this is one of the most enjoyable films of the year, and I am sure that audiences will find its odd blend of gloom and whimsy to be delightful. 9/10
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Hellmant14 September 2018'CHRISTOPHER ROBIN': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)
A live-action/CGI fantasy film, from Disney Studios, about a grown-up Christopher Robin, who's lost all of his childhood imagination, so he's visited by his old stuffed-bear, Winnie the Pooh, in order to help him get it back. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael, and the voices of Jim Cummings and Brad Garrett. It was directed by Marc Forster, and written by Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy, Allison Schroeder, Greg Brooker and Mark Steven Johnson. The movie has disappointed at the Box Office (slightly) so far, but it's gotten mostly decent reviews from critics. I enjoyed it, and I found parts of it to be really magical and even touching at times. It's somewhat slow-paced though, and not nearly as nostalgic as it seems like it should be (or could have been). Still, it's a decent enough family film I think though. -
rannynm1 August 2018What day is it? Why it is today, my favorite day. I am a life-long Disney fan. While it is not surprising I loved seeing the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood come to life via CGI transformation, I was surprised to see A.A. Milne's beloved characters in their original book form, not their Disney animation form.
Christopher Robin does not spend a lot of time introducing the viewer to the characters from the idyllic forest where a young British boy spent time creating adventures with his friends - Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and Roo. If one is not a Disney-phile, it may be hard to comprehend why a boy arrives from a tree to have picnics with animals.
That said, the Winnie the Pooh, Disney lover that I am, saw so much love in this film with its themes of friendship, love, family and tenderness. The vintage, live-action look is appealing and kept me intrigued wondering what the "silly old bear" would do next. Winne the Pooh is quite the adventurous wanderer as he goes in search of Christopher Robin who has grown up and works in London. The adventures suspend belief as grown-up Christopher Robin, well played by Ewan McGregor, originally annoyed by Pooh, remembers some of his favorite things, like "doing nothing" and realizing true north is his family and friends, plush or live.
As a grown man who has returned from World War II, married to Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and father of a daughter, Christopher Robin is an efficiency manager for a luggage company or "a fish in the sea" as Winnie the Pooh says. He is a work-a-holic and has a taskmaster as a thankless boss. When told he must work rather than go on holiday to the country with his family, Christopher Robin attempts to take Pooh back to the forest where he and his woodsy friends awaken the lost child from within. They also meet his daughter Madeleine (Bronte Carmichael) and another adventure ensues. Madeline assists Pooh in getting to Christopher Robin when he needs all of them most.
For a franchise, which has historically targeted the very young, the film has melancholy themes. Visually, it is beautiful with its artistic production values and cinematography. The score is also very good. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars for the casting, cinematography, life lessons, amazing cult Winnie the Pooh references and music. I recommend it to ages 8 to 18, due to some mature themes. Reviewed by Kimbirly O., KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror. -
brankovranjkovic23 August 2018Live action with animation.
We see Christopher Robin has grown up with a job, a middle class family and responsibilities. He works for a luggage company in the 'A Fish in the Sea' (efficiency) department.
The family go on a weekend break but he needs to stay at home to work on 20% cost savings. While on his own he gets a surprise visit from Winnie the Pooh, and they return to The 100 Acre Wood to find the other imaginary friends, along the way we see how he recaptures his childhood.
Winnie always sees life in the most simplistic way and encourages Christopher Robin to so the same. Ultimately your family is more important than your work. -
ryanbartlett-870-7464868 August 2018A children's movie targeting the inner child of non-children. Christopher Robin is based in the world of Winnie-the-Pooh which sounds like a perfect film for kids and a great idea for a film. Until you realize that no kids probably even know what Winnie-the-Pooh even is, unless they have parents who loved it. This led to a very strange mood of the film. Not quite sure if they were making a children's movie or one for adults and how serious it should really be. At the end of the day, they never decided on what they wanted to be. Landing in la la land, there are moments that bring you back to the old stories and then there are moments that remind you of a movie set in a dark DC universe movie with teddy bears. The best moments of the film are when Pooh, Eeyore, or any of the other animals give classic lines and you get to see them in action. The downfall of the plot of the film is that they really stayed away from the characters we love. Titled "Christopher Robin", the movie was just what it announced, all about the man of Christopher Robin, not really about Winnie-the-Pooh. But even in the classic stories, it was never about Christopher Robin, we don't care about him or his story. We just want to see Tigger bounce around like a goofball, Eeyore to act like the sky is caving in, and the other animals to embody their strong emotions. But instead they took it towards the real world and real-world problems and a family that in all honestly wasn't very exciting. There was little character development in the family, they weren't really involved even though they were on screen just as much as the animals. A great idea, maybe not the best time, and not made very well to achieve a convincing final product